Torbay, a charming town nestled on the eastern side of the Avalon Peninsula in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, is a place where history and modernity coexist. Just 12 km north of the capital city of St. John's, Torbay is part of the bustling St. John's metropolitan area. Its close proximity to the capital has led to a steady increase in the town's population, which stood at 7,852 according to the 2021 census.
The name Torbay has its roots in Torbay, Devon, England, and was first mapped in 1615 by John Mason. The term "Torbay" originates from the old Anglo-Saxon "Tor," meaning "a rocky hill." Both Torbay in Newfoundland Labrador and its namesake in England share geographical similarities, with wide-open bays facing in a northeasterly direction.
Torbay's history is marked by the settlement of John Nutt, the pirate, and his family from Devon, and the three French campaigns that the community experienced, the first of which occurred in December 1696. These invasions led to the construction of the Torbay Battery in 1781, which was manned by 25 troops from the 71st Regiment and Royal Artillery.
The early settlers of Torbay included the Cole, Corum, and Field families. By 1794, the population of Torbay had grown to include 108 English settlers and 99 Irish settlers. The town's early history was further highlighted by the landing of Colonel William Amherst and his troops in 1762 on their way to re-capturing St. John's from the French. This event was officially recognized in 1978 when the first mayor of Torbay, William Manning, unveiled a stone monument and plaque at the present-day Veterans Memorial Park.
According to the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Torbay had a population of 7,852 living in 2,985 of its 3,182 total private dwellings. This represented a slight decrease of -0.6% from its 2016 population of 7,899. With a land area of 34.89 km2, Torbay had a population density of 225.1/km2 in 2021.
Torbay is serviced by St. John's International Airport, formerly known as Torbay Airport. The airport hosts a range of airlines, including Air Canada, Air Canada Express, Air Labrador, Air Saint-Pierre, Air Transat, Porter Airlines, Provincial Airlines, Sunwing Airlines, WestJet, and WestJet Encore. It offers services across Canada and the United Kingdom and Ireland, to the United States, Saint-Pierre, and the Caribbean.
